Fighting Freshmen

by Mary F. Patel

Freshman Democrats in the House are desperate to keep their seats in November, and hope that a big Democratic sweep, led by presidential contender Barack Obama, will keep them in office.

Last week Congressmen Patrick Murphy and Joe Sestak made fundraising stops with voters they may not necessarily have connected with two years ago.

Sestak was in town Monday night at a private Old City residence for a fundraiser organized by Marty Sellers along with various notables in the gay community, including Dolph Ward Goldenburg, Romulo Diaz, Harvey Hurdle, Malcolm Lazin and Michael Weiss.

Sellers pointed out that Sestak had the highest military rank for a federal elected official next to George Washington. Sestak, 56, is a three-star admiral who served 31 years in the Navy.

"Never has an election been as defining since the days of Theodore Roosevelt," said Sestak. He admitted he had not been up on gay issues previously but wanted to be connected and gave out his cell phone number to many of the guests. "If you're not going to tell me, then I'm not going to know," he said.

Sestak added he had joined the newly formed Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus where members voted against anti-gay legislation and supported the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

On the current status of the war, Sestak said he believed Obama would keep his word and let the soldiers come home.

"But it won't be the 16 months he is promising, it will be more like 24 months," said Sestak.

He blamed the U.S. for not having more control over the war and letting the European Union and Middle East negotiate the terms.

"Diplomacy can make a difference," he said.

Sestak's district lies in Delaware County. He beat incumbent Congressman Curt Weldon in 2006.

Sestak's 2008 Republican opponent is 43-year-old W. Craig Williams, a former federal prosecutor and honored Gulf War veteran. Williams recently resigned from his position with the U.S. Attorney's Office to run, and although he has an impressive military background (having won two Air Medals for acts of bravery and five for 56 combat missions), he is politically unknown.

Patrick Murphy, whose district is in Bucks County, made the scene along with Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin last Thursday night at a fundraiser hosted by Philadelphia Gay News Publisher Mark Segal at his home. Guests included Jeff Goldman, Stephen Glassman, Dan Anders and Rick Lombardo as well as several who also attended the Sestak event.

Baldwin, whose district lies in Wisconsin, has been a longtime activist for gay and lesbian rights, and is a lesbian.

Murphy, like Sestak, is new to LGBTQ issues but has recently joined up with the LGBT Congressional Caucus.

"We are draining the swamp," Murphy said of House and Senate Democrats taking on Republicans and the war.

Murphy's district lies in Bucks County, where he faces a viable opponent. Republican Tom Manion comes well funded, and has the eager support of GOP strategists who believe Murphy is vulnerable.

Manion is 54, a former Marine, and now a retired executive from Johnson & Johnson. His son Travis Manion, a Marine first lieutenant, was killed last year in action in Iraq.

Murphy, who beat incumbent Republican Mike Fitzpatrick in 2006, admitted he had a tough battle on his hands and talked at length about ending the war. Baldwin spoke more on gay and lesbian issues.

Both Murphy and Sestak, along with other Democrats who trounced House and Senate GOPs in 2006, face an interesting set of circumstances this November.

While campaigning back then, the Democrats used the slogan "New Direction" — pledging that, if elected, they would pull troops out of Iraq and end the war.

Republicans are waiting in the wings to see if voters remember that promise. But Republicans had effectively told voters that, if they elected Democrats, the world would perish at the hands of terrorists. And, of course, neither has happened. The troops are still in Iraq and there have been no U.S. terror attacks since 9/11.